[Flight manual] Ki-43 Oscar study

[special ed]

Which name is used usually depends on who the target of the manual is.

For a pilot - they are only interested in the control (handle/lever/wheel/knob) that they must move.

For the maintenance person - they are interested in the complete assembly which includes the handle/lever/ etc if directly operated or the unit with its remote control linkage/pulley/sprocket if not.

I may in the future be able to supply photos of Ki-43 cockpits I took in the early 1970s. The instruments and control columns were missing but most of the other controls were still in the aircraft. I recently found all my missing negative albums and will slowly go through and digitize them. I say slowly because there are thousands of negatives and many are stuck inside the negative holders. I am still researching the best way to release them without damage to the negative. Some say use distilled water, others say various chemicals and never use water, etc etc and I need to determine what is best as I do not want to damage any. I have sent the movie film to a US source for cleaning and digitizing and hopefully they will do a good job. I chose one who is well regarded going by internet reviews so I hope the reviews are accurate.
View attachment 657801

Older film and prints should have water proof images. The last bath (tank) in the processing machine was water rinse, street water from the city where developed. If you have sections of clear film stuck, clip that out and soak in, distilled is good, warm water until it turns loose. Do not force the separation. Prints also go through the last water bath before the drying cabinet. I have had surprising, to me, results in separating older color prints stuck together in album pages after Hurricane Katrina. These prints took much longer soaking in warm water than B&W prints. Those were posted in AvPix Unlimited thread. The last ones were printed on RC (resin coated) paper & I suspect that is why the long soaking time. If your negatives are older than the late 90s I would guess no problems, however if you can find a reject or out of focus negative frame, test it as well as a clear piece. A discussion with a museum or movie conservator wouldn't hurt.

 

[MiTasol]

Thanks Ed
All these negatives are 60s thru to early 90s and the next time I am in Brisbane I will go to the State Film Archives with some negatives. I should have thought of that - it is so obvious once pointed out. From the sound of it warm distilled water is the answer. None of the on line sites I looked at mentioned warm water.

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks for the confirmation !

Additionally, I am also confused, when pp refering to the so called "auto/manual mixture control" of a Zeke
(off topic, but anyway they share the almost same engine so I'd ask the question here ) :
View attachment 657851
As far as I can tell according to the Illegible Ａ６Ｍ３取扱説明書抄録, that "A" is so called "高度弁操作把手" (mixture control handle).

It did neither refer to "auto" nor "manual", and I can't find any diagram refering "B" in it.


The only original reference that use the term "auto/manual" is a war time test report by the US.

Saids one is "mixture control"(probably B) which makes the mixture automatic when positioned to the rear.

While the other one is manually operated "idling mixture control"(probably A) which leans the mixture when warming up.

(I do not fully trust the US source)


So, what exactly are handle A & B for ?


Fen

I had better translate original terms with the original diagram first.

高度弁操作把手 Altitude valve control lever
絞弁、高空弁、プロペラ管制把手 Throttle, High-altitude valve and Propeller control levers
二速過給器把手 Two stage super charger lever

プロペラ調速器管制 Propeller governor control
絞弁 Throttle
ブースト Boost
高空弁操作量指示弁 High-altitude valve controller

Your A is "Altitude valve control lever" and B is "High-altitude valve lever".
This is just my guess but the altitude border would be around 4,000 meters.

 

[MiTasol]

Fantastic Shinpachi, both the diagram and the text.

For native English speakers some items translate more commonly as follows

高度弁操作把手 Altitude valve control lever = ?? This roughly equates to mixture control but that is on the following group of three. Maybe idle cutoff is on a separate lever like the Brits did
絞弁、高空弁、プロペラ管制把手 Throttle, High-altitude valve and Propeller control levers = Throttle, Mixture Control and Propeller Control levers
二速過給器把手 Two stage super charger lever = Supercharger Hi/Lo boost control

プロペラ調速器管制 Propeller governor control
絞弁 Throttle (on carburetor)
ブースト Boost (on engine)
高空弁操作量指示弁 High-altitude valve controller = Mixture control on carburetor

 

[Wurger]

Great!

 

[fenbeiduo]

高度弁操作把手 Altitude valve control lever
絞弁、高空弁、プロペラ管制把手 Throttle, High-altitude valve and Propeller control levers
二速過給器把手 Two stage super charger lever

プロペラ調速器管制 Propeller governor control
絞弁 Throttle
ブースト Boost
高空弁操作量指示弁 High-altitude valve controller

Your A is "Altitude valve control lever" and B is "High-altitude valve lever".
This is just my guess but the altitude border would be around 4,000 meters.

Compared to your diagram, I can hardly identify this one

I really appreciate !

Looks like ④高度弁操作把手 and 高空弁管制把手(should, but missing in the diagram) are both connected to the carburetor.

I couldn't understand why, that mixture control had to be designed into 2 different handles.

Fen

 

[MiTasol]

There are two different stages of mixture control and on American engines both are operated by the same handle but on British engines they were often on two separate handles.

Given the Japanese used a lot of British "technology" I suspect that the Japanese were following British practice.

If I am right then the second handle (the one not in the same assembly as the Throttle and Prop controls) is the Idle cut off control which is used during engine shutdown to stop the engine by shutting off the fuel supply inside the carburetor.

Shinpachi will probably be able to confirm if I am correct and I have sent a PM to GregP to ask him to comment on this as the museum where he works has a genuine A6M that they fly.

You may find the answer in the video that Greg just posted on the current last page of Thoughts on the Nakajima Ki-84 and Kawasaki Ki-100

Additionally may I suggest you download and install a program called Irfanview from IrfanView - Official Homepage - One of the Most Popular Viewers Worldwide and also install the plugins. It is free for non commercial use and reasonably priced for professional use, is powerful, and has a simple control structure.
If you open any of the white on black files you have and then press Control, Shift and N at the same time you will get this which is much easier to read

You can also convert totally to black on white if you prefer and adjust the colour balance if you want which sometimes produces better results. You can do this from a menu or create a simple macro if you prefer (I use Control, Alt, D to convert to black on white from many colour files like this one or book scans)

 

[fenbeiduo]

There are two different stages of mixture control and...

Yes, like the early spitfire (right? does not have reference at hand, but spitfire cockpit is the one(among those British planes) that I've take close look into)

And appreciate for the advice and help, very nice gentleman (07)

Fen

 

[Shinpachi]

Answer was in both Ki-43 Pilot Manual and Nakajima Ha-25 Engine Manual.

1. Altitude valve controller
Set "常時(Johji = Normal)" for manual control of the throttle.
Set "巡航(Junkoh = Cruise)" for auto control.

2. High-altitude valve controller
This part is located inside the fuel nozzle of the carburetor to control oil flow manually for the high altitude.
This control is not necessary under 4,200 meters.

 

[Wurger]

 

[GregP]

At the bottom of the first page is a pic of an A6M cockpit.

1) The blue rectangular handle is the throttle and there is a selector for armament control. You can select MG, cannons, or both. The motorcycle-like handle actuates the brakes with the use of rudder pedal.

2) There are two red knobs labeled A and B. The pilot has to control mixture, propeller rpm, and cowl flap opening for cooling. I am not really sure which is which. I have limited access today, but will try to find out in the future.

 

[fenbeiduo]

At the bottom of the first page is a pic of an A6M cockpit.

1) The blue rectangular handle is the throttle and there is a selector for armament control. You can select MG, cannons, or both. The motorcycle-like handle actuates the brakes with the use of rudder pedal.

2) There are two red knobs labeled A and B. The pilot has to control mixture, propeller rpm, and cowl flap opening for cooling. I am not really sure which is which. I have limited access today, but will try to find out in the future.

Hi GregP

Thanks for the reply !

I think I have made too much A6M disscusion in a Ki-43 topic

So I decide to start a new one for A6M cockpit and operation only.
[Manual] A6M Zeke/Hamp study

Fen

 

[fenbeiduo]

The port side of the Ki-43 cockpit remains unclarified here

 

[elbmc1969]

4.Shut down
p48. 174 (停止) ... 高空弁操作槓桿を全開にするものとす 但し高空弁操作槓桿を全開とするも停止せざるのみか 却って回転を増し 順調なる運転をなす場合は 微速時における混合ガスが濃すぎる為なので 調整する(べし)
(For stopping the engine) ... Set the high altitude valve rod to Full Open but, in spite of this, if the engine not only does not stop but also even increases the rotation like a normal running, adjust the gas mixture as it is too thick at slow running

I would suggest "too rich," rather than "too thick."